st. patrick

Just got a very clean McIntosh MC 240; I also just read the archive posts re some tubes preferences, most of which are more than a year old.....and somewhat inconclusive. Allan Songer, obviously very knowledgeable, references WE 350b's, Mullard EL 37's and GEC KT 66's or 6L6 variants ( is there a difference between 6L6 and 6L6CG?), but indicates the latter are very pricey. Allan, If i can find them and afford them, which would you suggest be my first choice? Input from other past or present 240 owners also most welcome. First question: where do i go to learn the tube preface and suffix lingo? Second question: where do i go to learn the cross reference/ inter-changeabilty of the different tubes? Third ?: where do i go to get tubes without getting screwed? I do not mind paying for quality, along as i am getting quality.....i just prefer not getting srewed, blued and tattooed while i am still trying to learn this stuff ( in other words, i got too much "perfect" and "mint" stuff off ebay already, and am remembering the infamous words about the fool and his money soon parting company)? Amp is on its way, with original tubes........so i plan on listening for a while, but want to start my educational process right away....and start searching for the holy grail of 240 tubes. Will be driving Cherry (Jorjen) Cornwall's, maybe going to a BB ala mode (mark, whadda ya think of ala mode for mc/mm phono plus killer headphone set-up?) , but starting with a MX 110 pre. Arcam 82 cd player and going to vinyl eventually...scoutmaster or black knight. appreciate your thoughts, patrick

bumpity bump

I need suggestions/guidance on shipping khorns from williamsport, PA to the center of the left coast. I am considering a pair of khorns (76ers so hopefully i will be invited to join the secret society, he he he), but i need to figure out all arrangements. Is this feasible from a practical and economic perspective? Are there reliable crating and shipping companies with whom y'all have dealt? Am I nuts to even consider this? I appreciate the input. Also, how are these diferent from '89's, as there may be a pair of 89's alot closer to me. I have always heard nice things re the '70s khorns, but have not really followed the threads on the different x-overs, etc, thus a thumbnail sketch of the differences would be helpful (and just to beat someone to the punch, i know the difference is 13 years). Thanks, Patrick

Mikie, if it gets down to choosing between the khorns and the wife, it might help to post pictures of each..........just kidding, of course. Welcome to our little ship of fools (no offense intended, guys and ladies). I am down in Goleta/ Santa Barbara and may be able to come to your rescue (on the khorns that is; i've been married for 25 years and if she hasn't got rid of me yet, i'm probably gonna be allowed to stay a while longer). I actually have been looking for some '76 horns (so i can join the secret club), but yours are alot closer. Please email or pm me re details. In the interim, if any other forum members have suggestions on how i swing this with the wife, i am all ears. She has almost conceded that she likes the cherry CW's, but how many blessings can one guy expect in the short time we have here on earth?

Olorin, thanks for prompting Tom's memory! When I first read the thread the other day, before I was added, I was concocting a quasi smart-*** reply which would have contained a suggestion that when we all get together we have a FISH FRY .... ah, c'mon Piranha, just kidding........ Patrick

OP, are you sure you have the model # correctly identified here? I am interested, but I just did a google search on it looking for reviews and for prices..........the going price new on the net, rather than MSRP, seems to be $614 to 785.00 for an ELITE VSX 53TX.

ditto mike colter's comments,especially re the good people here on the forum, and as charles dickens' character tiny tim said "... God bless us one and all.." Max, like many others here, i always find your posts to be thoughtful and, frequently, thought provoking. Merry Christmas to you, your family and all those here on the forum. Patrick

Okay, since i can't find a decent Academy to use as a center, and those in the know say the only perfect match is a vert CW, anyone have one they aren't using?????????? and willing to sell to a good home (mine)?? thanks, patrick

Okay, since i can't find a decent Academy to use as a center, and those in the know say the only perfect match is a vert CW, anyone have one they aren't using?????????? and willing to sell to a good home (mine)?? thanks, patrick

Lipinski, not to hijack your thread, but if anyone out there wants to sell me their WALNUT (or better yet, CHERRY) Academy, then I won't have to bid on this one and reveneer it. That way both Lipinski and I could be very happy!!

ditto from me, still got the warm and fuzzy feelings!! loving those CW's.

Win, i've spent a ton of money on ebay, but i didn't even know they had a discussion board at ebay, so i guess not..............but i am st.patrick on audiogon. Guys, Thanks for the comments. patrick

for those of you who may have forgotten, jorjen re-did a pair of CW's in cherry wood and posted the project photo's here on the forum; then he came across a set of khorns, which he has now done in rosewood--and they are gorgeous, so he reluctantly decided to part with the cherry CW's...........thus the start of my "most excellent adventure" this past weekend. I actually did the deal with jorjen several months ago but had scheduling problems, family obligations (all good), work, etc. etc. etc. which kept getting in the way...................jorjen was most understanding all the way through, and i thank him for that! Saturday morning, having recovered from my wife's "...are they that big" (that you need to borrow my suburban) question, coupled with her "...why don't you get some of those small Bose things..", (editorial comment: the recovery was assisted by medicinal application of some red wine), i started the trek from the santa barbara suburbs to central california. The trip there was approx 5 hours, and would have been longer if the Calif Highway Patrol had been out in force......... I had the delightful pleasure of spending the afternoon with a very gracious host, enjoyed meeting his lovely wife and dynamite young son...........but most of all really enjoyed getting to put a face and personality to the name and avatar. I know many here have corresponded with jorjen, emailed, spoken over the telephone, etc, so you won't be surprised to hear that in real life he truly is a very nice guy. He is the type we all wish we had as our next door neighbor, good buddy to go to lunch with, see a ball game, family picnics......you name it, you would enjoy having him there! This was the first forum member that i actually got to meet face-to-face, and it was sort of neat (as we said when were kids). I should also comment that many here on the forum have been kind to me, responded to questions, offered guidance, accepted my teasing, etc, and i appreciate that as well.....but this about jorjen and the cherry CW's, not me. got to see the beautiful rosewood khorns---did i mention they are beautiful?? The most impressive thing is the CRAFTSMANSHIP, the sheer attention to detail that this gentleman has put into these speakers. The photos make them look pretty damn good, but man-o-man, you should see them in person!! I will give him a standing offer to buy them, at his price, anytime he wants. (Maybe i should send him a few cases of wine for Christmas, and then when his defenses are down, suddenly drop by with $$ in hand.) His work is that good! Sadly, evening came and 'twas time to head home. We had no sooner loaded the cw's and my cell rang, with my wife wondering if i would be home soon? When i indicated i just about ready to leave, she asked what i had been doing or talking about..." all that time"....well, you name it, and if it related to family , the forum , Klipsch or equipment, we probably covered it! What an enjoyable day!! Ken, thanks again. Highway 99 and hwy 41 ain't the greatest, especially at night, but shortly before midnight i rolled into the driveway, futzed around abit and climbed into bed..........Sunday the sun rises, and apparently it was a race to see if the sun or my wife would be up first.....while i tried to pretend it was still dark under the pillow. When i asked my better half if she peeked thru the windows on the suburban on her way out to get the paper (oh yeah, don't interrupt her before she finishes the crossword puzzle), i kinda got a grunt...but a neutral sounding grunt............which i interpreted as meaning she wasn't necessarily happy about these things that were going to be living in "her " living room, but sort of sounded resigned to it..............probably would have had a much stronger reaction if i tried bringing a blonde home like my brother did during his mid-life crisis..but i digress. had my son help me carry them in carefully, very carefully....and hooked them up to the luxman LV105 (integrated, but with a tube front end) and started slowly but excitedly. first, nat king cole--ya just gotta love that smooth voice. then move to allison krause and union station, and finally jethro tull/aqualung (but at low volume, so as not to push my luck with swmbo on day one-------but i did sneak home at lunch today and it sounds even better with a little "punch" added in. impressions: ken said the alk's still need to break in abit more, but they sound fantastic to me already, so if this gets better...boy, oh boy. I feel like a kid again with a new set up. The luxman never sounded as good as it does now. the music is smooth and effortless ( a term i frequently read and said to myself "wtf are they talking about?", but now that i heard it, IT FITS. Ken, again i thank you for a great day. I compliment you on your fine craftsmanship. I will but those rosewood khorns whenever you go insane enough to sell them. My hat is off to you!(Actually my hat is ON due to you as well!) thanks for letting me share this with all of you. If i sound excited, keep in mind that this was not only my first pair of CW's ( after bidding on numerous others, but getting straightened out by sheltiedave and deang), but this was also my first "internet date" hehehe

we can disagree as to the aesthetics........but it is fun to get a chance to tease (good-naturedly, of course) gary, because he is so nice anyways as for being grateful, i am extremely pleased to be getting these. my post was intended to share my glee and, at the same time, my poor attempt to inject a bit of humor. 'twould seem i failed in the latter attempt; perhaps that is why my kids no longer laugh, but simply say i am "adorkable" best to all, guess i will just troll quietly away now, g'night

I am making the pilgrimage to central calif tomorrow to pick these beauties up, and gonna borrow the wife's suburban (rather than taking the pick-up truck) just in case it rains. Just talked to her, suggested I take her out to dinner tonight.....and "oh by the way, any problem if I take the 'burb tomorrow to pick up the speakers????" Her response----are they that big? me: "sure, but beautiful and i know you will love them!" the wife: i think the ones you have in there now (Snell Acoustics-about 60 to 75% of the cw size) are too big! I think you should get some of those small Bose ones..... ... ... fell outta my chair. Is there no hope? Here she is about to feast her eyes and ears on the best looking CW's out there (yes, gary, even better than the zebrawood--although yours are the 2nd best looking ) and she mentions the b-word. yikes. You'd think after 25 years of wedded bliss i couldn't be surprised anymore. Go figure. Jorjen, here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!

..........and what exactly are power ports?? and what is the supposed benefit?? and do they actually work???

No, the khorns are just a bit too big for the available space........but if FINI leaves his door open the next time he goes on vacation........those sweet ones he has (khorns, that is) could stay over at my place.

Well Gary, it wasn't necessarily "behind" her back......see, she was.....ah, well, um..... otherwise occupied in the shower or else asleep when i.... ah, um, well.... each time i remembered that i had more stuff in the car.....and, well, you know, i just couldn't leave it out there all alone all night long......yea, that's my story. my lp acquisition count is still short of 1,000............guessing in range of 750-800.........but haven't yet gotten a RCM.........but hope to trip across a loricraft some day. ......and if i can get my living room remodeling project off the ground and finished i'll even have room for those cherry CW's it sure would be a lot easier to play if i didn't have to work all the time!!!

Marvel, what i acquire i take very good care of.........and generally keep for a very long time......... Dodger, i appreciate the wisdom of your posts. Patrick

i keep telling myself that my mantra should be "source, source, source" (like the BB, the scout or scoutmaster, the arcam cd player, etc) .......but as i squirrel a few dollars away under the mattress, i inevitably "stumble" across a listing here, on ebay, or audiogon.......and this always happens about the same time the money starts burning the proverbial hole in the pocket, thus helping me to rationalize the "re-ordering" of my priorities..... Dodger, good program but that would require some self discipline on my part............surely there must be an easier way!!!!!!!!! isn't there some old saying where i can get my cake and eat it too??? is "hobby" synonymous with "addiction"???

Denial is such a wonderful thing.......I know I don't have a problem (yet) but others (swmbo?) might disagree. I started trolling here approx year or so ago.......and have learned alot, spent a fair amount, and seem to have developed either good taste or else a compulsive disorder when it comes to klipsch speakers..........thus the querry! Started with JBL L-100's and 4311's, now out in the garage/workshop/home office/junkroom with an old and venerable marantz 2330b on the L-100's and a McIntosh MX-110 tube pre and McIntosh 2105 SS amp on the 4311's. Have purchased what I believe to be very sweet CW's but have not yet made the roadtrip to Jorjen's to pick them up........yet......but in the meantime i have also acquired 2 different pairs of KG 4's (gave one to one of my college age daughters along with a pioneer sx 780), a very nice set of heresys with cane grills for here at work (again with a marantz 2045),........yet as I read all the good things said here on the forum regarding Forte 1's, khorns (no room, but enticing),academy,etc., I keep saying to myself "hmmm, maybe i should try those too.." especially when i see a mint pair come along........so, can one ever have too much klipsch? is there a Betty Ford center for people like me, would a 12 step program help?...........or am i just worrying too much about nothing????????

he (jack johnson)is a fellow left coaster, went to Univ Calif Santa Barbara-------one song talks about "pretty little girl at DLG".....refers to the De La Guerra dining commons (cafeteria) at UCSB. not necessarily a really dynamic showman, but pleasant tunes and is supposed to be a good guy, married his college sweetheart, still early in his career...............

thankyou, you guys are "all Aces". patrick

I have a set of heresy's without any bases or angled risers. Do any of you know what they are, or else have a link to a site with them?? Thanks very much, Patrick asrc='http://forums.klipsch.com/idealbb/images/smilies/4.gif'> also, if i make a set, does anyone else need some??

In real life we can simply walk away from these trolling idiots . . . if they even have the balls to pull stunts like this in the physical presence of others, rather than just slithering around on the keyboard behind the mask of the 'net. Psychologically, probably sick and twisted puppies. Manhood-wise, I suspect probably their IQ and sperm count are both deplorably low. So, do we pity them, pray for them, shoot them, or just ignore them. Ignoring their ignorant rants is probably best............but, alas, not always easy to do. None-the-less, they can't drive us nuts if we don't let them into our heads!! SSSSSOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, let's not take the bait. Best to y'all, Patrick